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SAFE SYSTEMS 03 Helping create a safer place to work It is of vital importance that any industrial automation process is considered to provide a safe working environment for its operators and those around it. Compressed air is an extremely versatile and safe medium but if used incorrectly can also provide a major hazard to personal safety. Ever present from the early days of machine automation, IMI Precision Engineering has been able to offer solutions that assist our customers in achieving this safe workplace using many standard product ranges. In addition, we have over 50 years of experience of more specific products designed primarily for use in safety applications helping customers meet the requirements of global or local legislation, for example the European DIN EN ISO13849. Subjects important to machine designers and users here include: > Safety valves with self monitoring functions > Specifics of safety functions and necessary performance levels > Support on risk analysis through machine validation to relevant documentation When an emergency situation appears, the operator also needs to know that machine elements are at least under controlled conditions. Any such situation can then be investigated and corrected safely prior to a re-start. Of primary importance here is the fast, effective evacuation of the air supply and the ability to keep any maintenance operatives safe during remedial work under conditions known in the industry as "LOTO" – "lock out tag out". A machine or system need not be complex in order to require consideration with respect to safety levels. Even a simple flexible hose installation where a failure can present a risk to safety can benefit from the addition of anti-flay devices. Alongside this, devices to limit the system pressure to the optimum setting assist with both safety and energy efficiency. A simple example of worthwhile improvements which can be made to most systems involves the use of efficient exhaust port silencers. These can improve operator comfort and reduce health risks by controlling the level of noise resulting from exhausting air. This brochure seeks to help in the selection of a range of standard IMI Precision Engineering products which assist safety of machine and workshop systems. We also have additional more specialised solutions in our portfolio for more specific applications. If you can't see what you want or need more information, why not give us a call. PROTECTING OPERATORS AND THEIR MACHINES